Today's Walk - Look towards the Son!

Over the last week I have been really seeking God on some things in my life.  All throughout the day, God had been dropping some nuggets into my heart.  Recently I started a walking regiment in an effort to loose some weight.  I have been using my walking time to really reflect on what it is God wants me to do and how he wants me to do it.  I left work a little later than usual and couldn't make up my mind whether or not to walk.  God spoke to me and said Go walk because this is where I can spend quality time with you.  I started out on my walk and when I got to the spot where I usually start off on the trail, God said go the opposite way you have been going.  I began thinking to myself if I go the opposite way I will be blinded by the sun.  I don't have any shades because my husband sat on them the other day!  That's a story for another day.  I was obedient and followed God's instructions.  God was telling me to go against the grain.  He was telling me to do things different from what is normal or accepted.  Earlier this week, I started a new bible study lesson called "Life: The Edited Version".  The author's main scripture was Jeremiah 18:4 (HCSB) which says.. 

"But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter's hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do."

Here in this scripture, God is giving us a real-life example of how He, the master craftsman of our earthen vessels, wants to re-shape us into a beautiful work of art.  Listening to God today and changing the direction of my physical walk is symbolic of how he wants to change our spiritual walk also.  But that is not the best thing about my walk today.

Now as I began walking, in the opposite direction along the trail,  the Sun appeared brightly in my eyes until I was sort of blinded by it.  I continued along as the Sun darted in and out among the many trees along the trail.  I watched as people walked passed me once and even twice.  I started to get tired because I am so out of shape.  I even thought about taking a seat on a bench along the way. As I rounded the bend on the last stretch of my walk,  I was again blinded by the Sun.  It was at that point God revealed to me that although I walked in the opposite direction unsure of how different the trail would be, He would show me His SON!  The sun was there at the beginning of my walk and it was there at the end of my walk.  All the time appearing through the forest of trees.  As my Pastor/Husband says when he preaches, "You can go ahead and shout right there".  

Throughout our life journey, we must stop and take time to fellowship with God. Away from the noise and hustle and bustle of everyday life.  He wants a relationship with us.  He desires to take a walk with us.  Although you may get tired along the way, you cannot stop and sit on a bench.  You must continue on. Paul tells the church of Philippi that ...

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"  Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)

Some of you reading this blog may be feeling God tug at your heart for you to get to know him more intimately.  He wants you to take a detour and walk with him.

Today God has called me to walk in the opposite direction, go against the grain and do what is abnormal.  Maybe its time for me to practice some responsible irresponsibility as the author Mark Batterson says in his book "Wild Goose Chase". He has shown me as long as I am looking towards the Son, he will guide me every step of the way.  

Demetria Murdock

Going Beyond

"Act immediately and fearlessly in response to God" - Priscilla Shirer.

Brother, Sister it is time for us to take up our beds and walk.

This weekend I attended the "Going Beyond" Conference with Priscilla Shirer. It was called a "spiritual reawakening for women." God definitely jolted me from my spiritual slumber to confirm the direction He is taking me. Priscilla talked about leaving a place of comfort and leaving behind what we are used to doing. She illustrated this by expounding on the journey the Israelites took out of Egypt into Canaan (the land flowing with milk & honey).

Going Beyond is exactly what God wants for us to do. When He speaks to you, you must respond to Him quickly and do whatever it is he has for you to do. God is calling me to go some places I have never been and do some things this year that I have never done. I don't have all the experience. He has not given me Google Map street by street directions and I don't have a satellite view of the big picture.

John 5 explains where I have been to the tee. I have been sitting at the pool of Bethesda with the sick, blind, and lame waiting on the water to be stirred. Waiting for all the right signs, for all the lights to be green, for that perfect opportunity. I, like the man with the infirmity for 38 years, have made up excuses as to why I can't do what God wants me to do.

Jn. 5:7 says... The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."

I have thought there are a lot of people who are better at these things than me. Or we say I don't have enough money, I am not worthy enough and what about my past. We find ourselves always coming up with one excuse after another. This is just the adversary putting fear in us, so that we will not do what thus says the Lord. But we must remember that God has not given us the spirit of fear but of Power, Love and a sound mind. If you have truly accepted the Lord as your Savior, he has moved beyond your past, so why don't you.

In verse 8 Jesus tells the man to "Rise, take up your bed and walk" and immediately he was healed. I am encouraging you Right Now, Today, to just pick up your bed and walk. Whether it be a sick bed, a bed of abuse, or a bed of financial problems, whatever your issue, just pick it up and walk. God will take care of it. Let us go beyond what we are use to and stop making excuses as to why we can't do something. God has said GO and I am going to take up my cross and follow Him.

I went to the conference with Kim Long. She is the mother of Tre's friend Kayla. Kayla also had Trisomy 18 and died only 4 months before Tre'. Kim and I met back in 2003 when Tre' was first born. She and her husband Juan gave us HOPE when the doctors didn't. They showed us what is was like to take care of a baby with Edward's Syndrome and also raise 2 other children. The strength and courage that Kim displayed was out of this world. I could truly see God in her and the love she showed her children. Both of us losing our precious babies only months apart wasn't just a coincidence. God has put us in each other's path for a reason. So that we can encourage each other through this journey that we are on. I thank you Kim and Juan for showing us how to love Tre', Joshua, Elijah, & Victoria and for giving us Hope.

Connecting The Dots

It's easy to get discouraged about unpleasant circumstances or to take unimportant events too seriously. You may not be looking at life from the right perspective.

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to His people. Eph. 1:18 (NIV)

The theme of my blog is about how our circumstances and relationships in life help us determine His purpose for our life. Think of any life altering event as a dot in a 'Connect the Dot' puzzle. As you think about your past, you will begin to see the path and purpose God has for you. The stranger you sat beside on a flight to California. The loss of a family pet as a small child. The sickness of a child. Diagnosis of a disease. Death of a loved one. A shattered childhood dream. Divorce. Estranged/Broken relationship with a loved one or friend. Child abuse. All these things draw a path towards Him. As we draw closer to Him we should obtain Hope for our future.

For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel. Col. 1:5 (KJV)

Even though we are being tried we must look inside our circumstances and seek God. He is there because He said He would never leave us or forsake us. God is wanting to see our faithfulness and how he keeps his promises to those that are true to him.

Pressed But Not Crushed

This past year I have been pressed from every side of my life as a Wife and Mom to Work and even as a servant in our church. As the old commercial says..."Calgon take me away...". (I designed the image on the left as a ministry tool to remind us of those refreshing times.)

It seems as though I add 2 to 3 pages to my ToDo list everyday. I have started to feel a little overloaded. I have to constantly remind myself that I am not superwomen. As the song goes ... "I can bring home the bacon. Fry it up in a pan And never let you forget you're a man 'Cuz I'm a woman!" NOT! (The song was used in Enjoli perfume commercials of the 1970s.)

When we begin to feel overwhelmed, we need to make sure that we are trying to fulfill God's purpose for our lives. Jer. 6:16 (NIV) says..."This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. "

I remember 2 Cor. 4:7-9 which says...Although we may be pressed, we are not crushed. Although we may be perplexed, we are not in despair. Although we may be persecuted,we are not forsaken. Though struck down, we are not destroyed. Our power does not come from ourselves but from God. When we are weak he surly is strong.

As I reflect back on March 30, 2007, when we gave Tre' back to God, a tremor of fear goes through me. How was I able to endure? Through His gift of courage. How was I able to hold my lifeless 4 year old for 5 hours? It was His strength. How was I able to walk away as my son was wheeled down the hospital hallway by the funeral home? It was His Peace. I thank God or His Strength, Courage, and Peace. I rely on Him now in much the same way I did then.

From A Caterpillar To Butterfly

Today is my first blog posting. I don't know much about blogging, but my great teacher and husband has been my inspiration to give it a try. Most of what I post over the next few days, weeks and months to follow will be from my journals over the last 5 years, my Journey To Faith. This is dedicated to the memory and awesome ministry of my first born Tre' and how he touched so many lives and dramatically changed mine...

A caterpillar can only see at ground level. Tre' could only see things at his level, in a wheelchair or on the living room floor. On March 30th, 2007 he turned into a beautiful butterfly that can now soar above the things on this earth into God's awaiting arms. When we think of how a butterfly is formed most of us think of a cocoon. When the metamorphosis is completed, the adult butterfly breaks the pupal case.

Today is the anniversary of Tre's metamorphosis. Just as we had done 4 years ago at the birth of our son, we gathered by his bedside as he prepared to leave this world. As he took his last breath, I was told by the medical staff it was ok to let him go. He had fought a good fight and we were proud of him. But now it was time for him to take a bigger step and be with the Lord. This is a path that we all must take. I was so proud to see Tre' go with so much grace.

Priscilla Shirer said in her book "And We Are Changed", A caterpillar's ultimate reason for living is to eventually become a butterfly.

I can only imagine what he's doing in heaven. Running, jumping, laughing and talking with other kids and his buddy Kayla. Not missing a beat. It is the hope of knowing I will see Tre' again that keeps me going. I am reminded of Romans 5:1-5 (NIV).

1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

We on our journey to faith are much the same as Tre' and the caterpillar. Before we come into the true knowledge of God our sight is limited. We have both spiritual and physical limitations. But once we know Him, we can soar above anything that life throws at us. I thank all those who have supported us this past year with prayers and listening ears. God bless you all and know that His grace is sufficient.

Demetria